


Stormfront

by MaybeStarlight



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, Harumi lives au, M/M, Next Generation, angsty teens, emotional and physical damages, emotional pain but that's just my style, implied/referenced alcohol, next generation au, tags added as needed, undercover Zane
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:07:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27735841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaybeStarlight/pseuds/MaybeStarlight
Summary: It was a great, long peace. A shame it's all going to shatter soon. A storm is brewing in Ninjago and it's going to take two generations to prepare for the worst Ninjago has seen yet. In this web, nothing goes unseen. A Ninjago Next Generation Fic.
Relationships: Cole (Ninjago)/Original Character(s), Kai/Skylor (Ninjago), Lloyd Garmadon/Original Character(s), Nya/Jay Walker, P.I.X.A.L./Zane (Ninjago)
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

One: Not Without Risk

Zane walked out of the hide out and down the street, drawing the hood of the plain blue hoodie over his head. He knew he was being followed. If he made it to the prop apartment, he'd be clear. With his connections offline still, he had no signal to upload the information he had gathered on this impromptu meeting, having been lucky to even have been in the building when the meeting was called. For convenience, they allowed him to sit in before he left. They hadn't wanted to hold him up, but insisted he listened.

It had given him confirmation of his biggest theory: Harumi was building a network, one that spanned the entire continent of Ninjago, and one of her contacts had found something she was looking for. Something that would be in the city in the next two weeks.

Zane's hands itched at the thought. If she had already gathered contacts in every corner of the continent, who was to say this wasn't some sort of play—a ruse to throw him off. They could easily know he was infiltrating but choosing not to apprehend him…

But why?

Zane's mind and heart were racing at equal speeds. It was a lot to take in.

They knew where everyone lived. It was pinned out on a map of the city and surrounding suburbs, and they couldn't do anything about it. If they moved, they'd just be found again, and there was no evidence to suggest they wouldn't also reveal they knew what Zane was doing, breaking in and slipping among their ranks sporadically under another new fake name each time.

He crossed the street, glancing over his shoulder. In the alleyway behind him, a figure sat on a motorbike, ready to go at a moment's notice. Their visor was too dark for him to make out any details before he turned his head back to focus on the sidewalk in front of him. Distantly, he heard the engine rev before fading, driving away.

He had been followed. He was likely still being followed if he had to guess. He didn't want to be right this time.

It was taking a chance, but he needed to do it. He internally switched on every communication signal. As soon as he connected to the network, he uploaded the information to the coded file, encrypting it as he did. He called in to Pixal.

It didn't even ring once before she answered. _"Are you safe? This call is early. You are not at the safe apartment yet."_ Zane could hear the worry in her voice, the strain of trying to stay calm. After over twenty years together, it wasn't shocking that he knew her this well.

"I am on my way home now, honey. I think we need to have a family gathering soon. Work is getting busy." His words, even out loud and inconspicuous to any passing ears, were coded.

_I am on my way to the safe house. I think I am being followed. We need to gather the others. I have information. It is urgent._

* * *

Gigi Walker liked to think that as first alternate for the debate team that meant she was incredibly skilled at last minute arguments and persuasion. She had, after all, talked her way into first alternate from third alternate.

Which, of course, is why she found herself standing between her father and the front door of their apartment, arms crossed. "Come on, I just want to go on patrol once with Uncle Kai-I really don't think I'm asking for all that much! Enver's been on patrol!"

Jay raised an eyebrow at his daughter, grabbing his phone from the charger. "Enver is two years older than you, _and_ not my kid. Kai's house, Kai's rules. My house-which you live in last I checked, by the way-my rules. This isn't up for debate Gigabyte, Your mom and I both said you're not going on patrol until you're older when you and Grant turned ten and started training-which you already started earlier than we wanted, if you remember!" He crossed his arms as well.

Jay walked towards the dresser next to the door, opening a drawer to grab his keys. "And Kai is starting patrol later tonight than normal, and you have school in the morning. Which, if I remember right, you've been almost late every day this week because you've been oversleeping!" He reached out to touch his daughter's shoulder. He had a sad smile on his face. "Stop trying to grow up so fast, trust me on this one. You're gonna miss this once you become a full time ninja-when you're nineteen at the earliest." He pulled his hand away from his stunned daughter, moving past her towards the door.

Gigi's mouth dropped open and she twirled on the spot, grabbing her dad's arm. "Nineteen? Last week your only condition was I had to be an adult!"

A small snicker came from behind. "Don't make him push it to thirty." Down the hallway, holding a laundry basket, was an auburn teen, smiling wryly at his twin sister. "And next to uncle Kai, no one holds a grudge like dad."

"You left your uncle Lloyd out of this, he holds a grudge worse than any of us and you know it. Remember when you accidentally broke his nose, kid?"

Grant groaned, head dipping back dramatically. "He still won't let me live it down _or_ feel good about the fact it was the first time I landed a hit on him in a spar!"

Gigi giggled, and Jay looked back at her. "I've gotta get going-I hope I'm not making a mistake by leaving you and your brother here to do your homework-it's not too late for me to take you to Lloyd's so Aya can watch you two."

With a huff, Grant lifted the laundry basket. "I've got chores to keep me busy, plus Gigi and I still have to study for precalculus tonight. Big test tomorrow, and if I don't keep her on track it's not getting done before you and mom are home."

Jay smiled and nodded, pointing a finger at Gigi. "Doors locked, no friends over, got it?"

"Got it." She sighed, watching as her dad left before turning to look at her brother, skipping down the hall past him. "You've got me covered for the evening then?"

Grant shook his head, and sighed. "This is a terrible idea, Gigi."

"If this was a terrible idea, then they'd have hidden the files harder than that."

* * *

Lloyd looked at Zane, who looked just as pristine as usual, though his clothes suggested otherwise. He seemed scuffed up and anxious. "So, we're all here. Rip the bandage off, what did you learn this time?"

Zane looked around the secure room and the familiar faces around him. His team, his family, everyone actively working on this mission. Except for Enver, though he was going to be working on it soon, Zane supposed. "I do not have much, but something is arriving in the next two weeks-something big. Something they've been looking for."

The air in the room was still, stiff. Zane continued on. "She didn't say what it was over the phone, but Lex, the woman who has been training me for guard detail-she vouched for me personally, saying that they'd be stupid to waste my firearm skills on meaningless turf battles-said that this item is integral to their plan, and that things will fall into place once it's in Harumi's hands."

Lloyd made a face at the mention of their greatest enemy.

Harumi had spent the better part of the last two decades underground, but in the last few years signs had come back that she wasn't done trying to destroy Ninjago by starting with them. Her last big move had been...traumatic to their team at best. Lloyd looked away, hand moving to his side. Even through his clothes, he knew the size and shape of the scar that was there.

It had been luck that he lived at all.

"I also have gained confirmation of Harumi's code name being the Spider, not the princess. This means that there is an individual being called the princess that is not Harumi. Logically, I would assume this to be some sort of child of hers, or someone she is appointing as heir of the cause for unknown reasons, just in case."

* * *

Gigi pulled her hood down as she walked into the party, grinning under the black lights which picked up the swirls of white makeup she had drawn on her face for the event.

The room was hot, packed wall to wall with people who swarmed around the makeshift stage in the abandoned warehouse. Maybe it wasn't as abandoned as she previously believed though, knowing now that these parties across the warehouse district were tied as recruitment events for the Oni's Curse as they called themselves now, rebranding from the Sons of Garmadon they originally were. It showed a few shifts. The movement no longer hinged on Garmadon as their leader, which...arguably might be worse for Ninjago in some ways. Gigi had only ever heard stories, but it sounded like Harumi could be even worse on her own. It even-

Someone slammed into Gigi's back and she shouted, barely heard over the music in the warehouse. A hand grabbed her wrist, steadying her before she could faceplant into the small gap in the flooring.

"Careful!" A girl yelled, muffled by the music and the mask she wore. Gigi could tell she was smiling behind it though. "Get's a little hectic here, ya know?" She started dancing, still holding onto Gigi's wrist. Gigi started to dance with her. "First time?"

The song started to wind down and Gigi nodded, reaching into her pocket to put her ear protection in. "Yeah, didn't know these were so popular!" She looked around, taking it all in. "Especially on a school night!"

The girl laughed. "That's half the fun-who cares if we have school tomorrow, tonight we live!" She tipped her head back and laughed harder. After a moment she looked back at Gigi. "What's your name, twinkle toes?" She asked with a nod at Gigi's shining shoes. She hadn't expected the black lights to make the glitter so radiant-it was just glitter!

Gigi smiled, holding out her hand. "Gigi!"

The girl took hers, giving a loose shake. "Everyone calls me Ruka around here." The girl-Ruka-looked around, pushing her dark bangs out of her face. "Let's get something to drink before some idiot spikes everything." She looked at Gigi, her dark eyes bright in the party lights. "You down to hang, first timer?"

"Uh..." Gigi faltered. She needed to be alert for the mission-if she found some kind of proof maybe she could get some intel about the initiation process that they didn't already know about. Sticking with someone who knew the place was a good idea. "Sure. I could go for a pop can right now."

Ruka laughed again, grabbing Gigi's hand to pull her through the crowd. "Pop can, you really are a newbie aren't you?"

Gigi shrugged, sticking close to her newfound guide. "Parents aren't usually out at night together, it's kinda new to be able to slip out of the house unnoticed." Gigi could feel the beat of the music in her bones as they passed a set of speakers, rocking her body at its very core. Grant would hate it here.

She so owed him for the cover up.

* * *

Before she knew it, Ruka was pushing an unopened can of soda into her hand and pulling her once again around the makeshift dance floor. Gigi thought she heard her say something about a quieter place to hang around at in the party, but she wasn't sure. Even with ear protection in, her ears were ringing, and she was sure she'd feel unsteady from the sounds for hours after leaving the party.

"You were right," Gigi said as she leaned against the railing, popping the can of soda open. "It is quieter back here." She took a sip of the soda as she watched the people dancing below. Ruka leaned against the railing next to her, and Gigi smiled at her. "How did you get involved in coming to these parties?"

"Long story, but basically...my cousins." Ruka pulled off her mask, putting her hand through the elastics to keep it on herself. "They like the party scene, I...can tolerate it with the right people." She winked and as the strobe lighting passed over her face, Gigi could have sworn her eyes were red. Like fire red, but the next second they were back in the dark. "What about you, first timer?"

Gigi chewed on her lip, looking down at the party below. "I heard there's a little more than just a party going on, probably just a rumor."

"What, like drugs?" Ruka sounded irritated. "This isn't the place for that, Gigi. They're pretty strict about drugs."

That caught her attention. Gigi turned again. "What? No, that's not what I mean."

A loud voice cut through across the music. "Hey, hey, Rukaaaa!" Gigi looked left at where it came from. A girl with a high, neon streaked ponytail was sauntering over. Her combat boots made the metal catwalk clang loudly with each stomping step. The teen seemed cut from stone, all angles and neon paint, like a walking piece of graffiti. She eyed Gigi as Gigi did the same. "Who is this poppet?" Her face was intricately painted, streaks of white crossing over her lips in an upwards curve, and bright pink smeared around her eyes.

"Raz, this is Data. Data, Raz. My cousin I was telling you about." Ruka's voice was tight. It confused Gigi why she was calling her Data when she clearly remembered her name was Gigi just moments ago. "We were just talking about why we came out here tonight, told her you were big on the party scene."

Raz threw an arm around Gigi, pulling her close. "Data huh? Alias? Or do your parents really hate you that much?"

Gigi gave an awkward laugh. "Nickname." The two looked nothing alike. Then again, maybe they were cousins the same way she and Lark were cousins, cousins because their parents were so close they were practically family, but with no resemblance. "Pretty awesome party!" Gigi took a sip of her soda. Something about Raz made her uneasy.

Raz grinned wide, eyeing the soda. "Surprised no punch, Data. You and Ruka seem like punch girls-well, I know Ruka is."

"Her parents would notice if she accidentally got spiked punch. Said her brother is covering for her." Gigi looked at Ruka, who was undoing her buns-how had she not noticed they were purple before now? Ruka combed through her hair, pulling it into a ponytail. "And it's her first time here, I'm showing her the ropes. How things run, stuff like that."

Raz nodded, her grin still present. "Well then, I'll leave you to it." She squeezed Gigi's shoulder, and through her jacket Gigi could feel her sharp nails. "Don't let her give you too much hell, Data."

Gigi gave another awkward laugh, nodding before taking a sip of her soda. Raz slunk off, sauntering across the crosswalk towards a group of equally painted individuals. Gigi wrapped both hands around the can, and listened to the music for a minute before speaking. "Your cousin is...a lot."

"Tell me about it."

* * *

Grant was practically pacing the floor when he heard a knock at his window. His parents were on the way home and as he pulled open the curtain, sure enough his sister was on the fire escape outside. He unlocked his window, pulling her in. "Go get changed, if they see you-why do you smell like smoke? Were you smoking? Oh man you were smoking-if mom gets a whiff of you we're _both_ going to be grounded so badly-"

"Relax! It's from the train stop. Some ass wouldn't stop smoking and I couldn't get away from them. I'm gonna go shower, cover for me with mom and dad until I'm done?" Gigi shut the window behind herself, and sat down on the ledge to take her boots off. "I made a friend tonight, she's just so...she's amazing, Grant, she really really is."

"Okay, that's great. Does she know anything about the OC?"

Gigi faltered. "I don't think so. I think her cousin does though, so I'm gonna have to go back a few times to get some more intel-and you're right, you would absolutely hate it there. It's so loud and you can feel the music constantly and-"

Grant pulled his now shoeless sister off his floor, shepherding her towards the door. "You. Shower. Now. We can talk about it later!"


	2. Chapter Two: A Nervous Tell

Kai looked at Lloyd in the morning sunlight, crossing his arms. "I didn't see any activity in the southeast sector of the city last night. Seems like some of the intel Zane brought back was wrong. Warehouses towards the docks had a party last night though."

Lloyd nodded, looking at the distant city. He and Kai had a tradition of meeting up on Thursdays to run in the morning, possibly spar for a while afterwards. "...Lark's going to inherit my powers. I can feel it." He didn't try to conceal his emotions, the raw fear and sadness at the thought consuming his tone. "And that stays between us-I don't want anyone-I can't risk _her_ knowing about him.

The two stretched in silence for a few minutes before Kai spoke again. "Do you really think we're going to see the end of this peace soon?"

It wasn't the first time they thought that the peace was going to end any day now. There had been plenty of close calls. The worst had been when Enver was just a toddler and before the twins were born, when Harumi's gang had managed to kidnap Lloyd and hold him as a prisoner for over two months before they'd been able to find Lloyd. Being down two team members and trying to gain information then had taken some questionable dealings.

Lloyd reached towards his neck, tracing another scar nervously. A bad habit. A nervous tell. "I'm afraid this is going to be the real deal. They're getting bold with the information they're dropping to all members."

"It could be a bluff."

"But they're getting something in a few weeks-something that has Harumi pleased beyond belief. We know that can't be good for us. I think she's preparing her endgame, and we're getting further behind..." Lloyd looked down the empty road leading from his monastery. "We need to prepare for the worst."

Kai stretched his arms out. "Enver wants to take Gigi to the parties with him, figured a second set of eyes on the scene could be helpful." He felt the familiar burn in his shoulder from the stretch. "I figure she's the best to take too, she's a social butterfly. She can blend in like no one else."

The idea had crossed Lloyd's mind last night, but he hadn't brought it up. Jay and Nya had been very strict on their approach to raising their kids. No missions until they absolutely had to. Lloyd could understand. None of them were exactly experts in the idea of a normal childhood, but having children fighting against a large criminal network was not going to win them parents of the year awards... "And what did Jay say about that?"

Kai gave a dry laugh. "They hate the idea, but...well, you know Gigi. She's been pushing to even just trail along on a patrol. She's not where I'd like her skills to be when it comes to her defense, but hopefully she wouldn't need those skills if she's just going to a party, you know? And she'd have Enver there to protect her."

Lloyd nodded. They started their jog together in silence for a few blocks before he spoke again. "I spent a long time trying to figure out what their plan could be last night. What if they've already set some kind of trap and we're already too late? We should've struck sooner."

"We would have if they hadn't vanished the minute we got you back. They only started making themselves known a handful of years ago, Lloyd. We can't keep beating ourselves up over what we should have done. Our priority that mission was saving you, and if I remember right, who was in critical condition and required immediate stabilization? Or two blood transfusions? Or surgery to repair internal bleeding that would've killed you? We did good that night everything considered." Kai sped up, thinking about that whole ordeal made him anxious and itchy to this day. It had certainly been his lowest time in life. "And we're not going to be too late. I just know it."

* * *

Enver Chen-Smith rode to school with his Uncle Zane every time his uncle was substitute teaching there, which was surprisingly often despite the fact these were the best teachers in Ninjago. It had been routine for the past three years since he had started high school at Ninjago Prep, one of the nicest schools in the country. The city had offered to waive the tuition for him and his cousins, but his parents and his Uncle both insisted that they could pay the price, and to instead give the tuition waivers to students who actually really needed them.

Saving the city countless times before having kids had its perks, apparently.

He knew his Uncle Jay funded five scholarships to the school as well, to give good students with big dreams a chance at seeing their dreams through. Enver couldn't say if he'd ever met one of the kids though.

Enver looked out the window, watching the city build itself around them as they drove in from the smaller, sleepier part of town Enver lived in. Not quite a suburb. He tapped his fingers to the music-slow jazz this morning which was a nice change from the usual talk radio-on his uniform pants.

The knowledge from last night was driving him insane. He was going to lose it if they didn't talk about it, and he couldn't very well break trust and tell his cousins anything-as the oldest, it was his job to keep them safe and away from danger as long as possible. He had waited patiently to be twelve to learn the basics of self-defense. His cousins begged and pleaded for months to train with him to have more cousin bonding, and they'd gotten it. He was older and more mature than them. He was strong enough to handle the idea and the knowledge that sometime in his life, he was going to have to fight evil just like his parents had, and that this problem wasn't quite something they'd be strong enough to beat without their parents. This was a lot. This was, according to the scale of the gang's reach, going to be a war.

"What do you think is coming in a few weeks?" He blurted suddenly, looking to his uncle. He reached to stop the music, eyes serious. "How bad do you think this is? What do you think it is?"

They pulled up to a stoplight, and Zane looked ahead seriously, face set. "I am afraid that this is going to be the first step for them to begin attacking directly. We are getting close to the anniversary of Lloyd's abduction. It would not surprise me if timing is also part of their plan." His tone didn't waiver, didn't show any sort of fear. "We will be ready, I can assure you of that." The light turned green and they began to roll forward with traffic. "And when that time comes, your job will be protecting your cousins."

Enver picked up his water bottle, unscrewing the lid. "But we know we're outnumbered."

"And you and your cousins are the future of Ninjago. Each of you will have a chance one day. For now, we are still capable of starting to carry the fight until you're ready." Zane looked at the teen, just for a second. "We have powers they don't beyond our elemental powers. We have hope, determination, and the promise of Ninjago's natural balance. Even if it seems they have won, the pendulum of balance will swing in our favor again." They were approaching the high school now, and Zane hoped that this wouldn't keep Enver from paying attention to his studies that day. "Our job is not to keep the good in power. It is to protect the balance. For every light, there is a shadow behind it, and from every shadow there is a light creating it. It is perpetually balanced, and impossible to destroy."

Enver sighed, looking at the high school as Zane pulled into the staff parking lot. "Okay, okay..." He shoved his water bottle into his bag, unbuckling his seat belt before they had even pulled into a parking space. Zane furrowed his brow. "I just, the way you guys were talking last night it was just really intense. And it's still all...y'know...new to me."

Zane nodded as he parked the car in the substitute parking space. "I understand that. Now, today you are going to focus on your academics. We need you to have a bright mind to match your skills."

With a smile, Enver nodded, opening the door and hopping out of the car. "Thanks Uncle Zane! See you around!" Enver ran off towards the front of the school, and Zane smiled as well.

They were strong to protect these children as long as possible. That had always been the goal, and it would remain that way as long as possible.

* * *

Harumi stood beside the "princess" as she was known among the ranks. She snaked a hand onto the girl's shoulder, feeling her tense underneath her nails. The princess didn't meet her eye. A smart choice. She was wasting time, not growing any sharper with her skills.

Once upon a time, the princess had been scared of her. The princess had been so _perfect_ then, obedient and thorough in her work. And of course, a teenager was the antithesis of perfect. Moody, unpredictable, selfish...

"A little bird told me that the ninja plan on sending one of their own undercover to these parties we've been holding...I trust you can manage to show them a perfect time around. Make sure they get enough of the wrong information, and don't let them too close." She squeezed the shoulder of the teen, looking around at the venue for that night's party. Recruitment wasn't the real goal with these. No.

Information exchange was the goal of the parties. Temptation was the goal of the parties. They hardly recruited from mere teenagers, but their associates? The smaller associated criminals? Well, if she was going to take control of Ninjago one day, control of the underworld was a good idea place to start, and keeping them happy and out of too much public trouble was an even better idea. Giving them clients, recruits, and connections kept them happy, kept them controlled.

Now the stakes were too high to let a little coup cause their plans to crumble.

With a smile, Harumi traced the spider painted on the shoulder of the leather jacket of the girl. "You and a few others will be infiltrating Ninjago Preparatory School next week, by the way. I'll have your background file in your room by the end of the night. Memorize it, live it. The ninja send their children there, and the sooner we can grasp what level of a threat each of them are to our cause-what they might know that our little bird doesn't..."

The teen broke away, walking away. "Fine." Her voice didn't waiver like it had in the past. "I don't care. It's for the cause."

Harumi grinned. "It's for the cause. Go train, princess. You've got a lot to learn before our presents arrive from the farthest parts of Ninjago..."

The princess flipped her off, not looking back, and Harumi's grin dropped immediately. The attitude problem was...testing her patience to say the least. She however knew how to keep her cool at all times now. The attitude problem was just part of adolescence. It would pass in some ways, and grow in others. Oni DNA was so unpredictable, so unstudied...

"There you are." Harumi turned, a pleasant smile back on her face as she looked at Ultra Violet. She was more scarred now than she was when the two had first met all those years ago, but her most faithful lieutenant still ran a tight ship despite her disorderly attitude. "Our bird's report is in. Figured you'd like to know, so we can strategize from there."

Harumi nodded, holding a hand out for the papers. As they were pressed in her hand, she looked back at the direction the princess had gone. "Go run drills with the princess. She needs a little bit of tough love today. I'll fill you in on what we decide upon later." Without response, she marched across the metal catwalk, reading over the report, a Cheshire grin spreading over her face.

This was interesting news.

**Author's Note:**

> I find it very motivating when I know people want to read this. I also find it very entertaining that the first thing I ever wrote was a bad next gen au and now I'm redeeming myself with a good next gen au.


End file.
